Thomas A. Walsh

Weapon System Officer, United States Air Force

Captain Thomas A. Walsh is a United States Air Force weapon system officer (WSO) and Olmsted Scholar in the class of 2014. The Olmsted Scholar Program selects Department of Defense active duty line officers for up to one year of language instruction and two years of graduate education at a foreign university. Captain Walsh will begin studies at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia in 2014.

Previously, Captain Walsh was the executive officer of the 479th Flying Training Group, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. The 479th trains all undergraduate combat systems officers (CSOs) in the USAF. As executive officer, Captain Walsh was responsible for the direct day-to-day operational, executive, and administrative support to the 479th group commander. Additionally, he coordinated all official communication between the 479th and USAF higher headquarters, providing support to 1700 Pensacola area Airmen.

Captain Walsh earned his commission from the U.S. Air Force Officer Training School. After completing Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training at NAS Pensacola, he went on to Dyess Air Force Base to fly the B-1B Lancer. He has served as an instructor weapon system officer (IWSO), instructor combat system officer (ICSO), squadron executive officer, weapons & tactics officer, and flight commander. Captain Walsh is a senior navigator with over 1900 flight hours and 1000 combat hours in the CENTCOM theater.